Judge wants us banned from dual carriageways!
- Thread starter Red Light
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400bhp
Legendary Member
I didn't say any 70mph dual carriageway did I. I said the average DC.
Whether anyone gives credence or not to my opinion is up to them. I'm not asking them to, I'm stating my opinion on an open bicycle forum on a particular road I know very well.
middleagecyclist
Call me MAC
- Location
- Prestwich, Manchester
Just been out for a nice birthday lunch (not mine). I return to find this debate about this particular section of road and my position on it quite amusing (could be the alcohol!).
Can I just reinforce my point. I do not believe cyclists should be banned from dual carriageways as they stand at present. If cyclists wish to use them that is their legal choice to do so. I found myself on this road without knowing it well and the conditions caught me unaware. In similar circumstances again I would choose to find an alternative route. That is my choice. If a high quality and well maintained cycle path was provided alongside such dual carriageways though - one with smooth tarmac, right of way at junctions, wide and seperated two way lanes, no crap barriers - and the price to pay was being banned from that particular stretch of road, I for one would be happy to accept that. I do not like the standard of the average current UK cycle infrastructure though and would not accept that as a suitable trade off.
I can also do without people telling me my position was wrong. I am well aware of the benefits of primary but felt safer keeping out of two lanes of heavy traffic doing 50-80mph. I didn't want to be there. The crap cycle lane had just fizzled up its own existence and I was cycling down the fast disappearing verge as the road went from dual carriageway to two lane A road, knowing to turn round and walk back against the traffic was as far as my turn was up ahead (about a mile). I just wanted to get off as quick as possible.
Can I just reinforce my point. I do not believe cyclists should be banned from dual carriageways as they stand at present. If cyclists wish to use them that is their legal choice to do so. I found myself on this road without knowing it well and the conditions caught me unaware. In similar circumstances again I would choose to find an alternative route. That is my choice. If a high quality and well maintained cycle path was provided alongside such dual carriageways though - one with smooth tarmac, right of way at junctions, wide and seperated two way lanes, no crap barriers - and the price to pay was being banned from that particular stretch of road, I for one would be happy to accept that. I do not like the standard of the average current UK cycle infrastructure though and would not accept that as a suitable trade off.
I can also do without people telling me my position was wrong. I am well aware of the benefits of primary but felt safer keeping out of two lanes of heavy traffic doing 50-80mph. I didn't want to be there. The crap cycle lane had just fizzled up its own existence and I was cycling down the fast disappearing verge as the road went from dual carriageway to two lane A road, knowing to turn round and walk back against the traffic was as far as my turn was up ahead (about a mile). I just wanted to get off as quick as possible.
Pedrosanchezo
Guru
- Location
- Perthshire, scotland
I agree completely.
it's very narrow ( note how when MAC gets passed, the truck has nowhere to move across, yes he could slow, but theres no room for him to move across either, pita), isn't always straight and carries very high volume of traffic..
personally, if they wanted to do something they need to make a proper lane away from the road ... but the problem with this bit is that it's been attempted to "fix" for years but every time something is about to be done, it gets mothballed again...
I suppose the other idea is to make it one lane, but it's a very major route so that is unlikely to happen...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A556_road
take the lane by moving across into traffic travelling at 60 mph?
not the best of advice tbh.. the best is avoid like the plague...
it genuinely is 40 years since they've tried to upgrade or build a road to fix this, beggers belief it's still like it is.
In your opinion. Repeating it ad nauseam doesn't make it any more valid, though.
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
problem is, that section with the dual carriage way used to be 60mph and was dropped, but not seriously enforced and after being allowed 50mph on the hell section beforehand, you suddenly open up onto a decent section of dual carriageway (as opposed to 2 lanes each way on single carriage way) and the limit is still the same... what do you think happens? usually 60-70mph at least
tell you what, have a look at the road... obviously it's miles away from most people, but streetview gives an idea.. and it isn't ALL bad, some of it is reasonably wide....
but take for example, theres a no-right-turn for traffic on the road, due ( no doubt) to traffic levels..
why not start screaming "its an outrage, i want to turn right at that point".. well no, because that would be barmy.. and no doubt theres been accidents due to people trying to in the past...
What *is* insane, is that there isn't a safe route for cyclists to go down because of this inability to sort this road out.... That's the wrong thing, you can't just ban cyclists if there isn't a safe alternative... You also shouldn't just accept "bad roads" like this just because of lethargy of the planning process...
mind you, why not make the whole bit 30? and put more speed cameras on it.. at least the speed difference wouldn't be so pronounced.
were as I agree Banning cyclist from duel carrageways is nuts - why not ban motorbikes as well.
and I would aviod cycling on a dual carrage way like the plague
I do think cyclists should accept they are vunerable - and are going to loose any sort of collision.
and so stay within the white line and the road edge (boy I,m going get some flak for this one)
and stay in single file.
ok you have drain covers and dead badgers to negiotiate but cars/lorries don,t cross the white line on the edge of the road and its the closest thing we have to a cycle lane on such a road.
I drive and cycle and having to get round a cyclist on a duel carrageway were I may be doing 70mph legally can be dangerouse for all concerned.
and I would aviod cycling on a dual carrage way like the plague
I do think cyclists should accept they are vunerable - and are going to loose any sort of collision.
and so stay within the white line and the road edge (boy I,m going get some flak for this one)
and stay in single file.
ok you have drain covers and dead badgers to negiotiate but cars/lorries don,t cross the white line on the edge of the road and its the closest thing we have to a cycle lane on such a road.
I drive and cycle and having to get round a cyclist on a duel carrageway were I may be doing 70mph legally can be dangerouse for all concerned.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Yep you're nuts. If you stay to the left of the white line, what's to stop a 30 tonne artic passing just to the right of the white line? Position yourself 3 feet to the right of that line and the truck can't pass while there's anything in the other lane. I'm not saying you won't still get a close pass but you will make the driver see you, think about you, act according to your position and these 3 things should lead to a better experience for all.
Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
The quote in the OP was referring to, in the main, the disparity between the speed of a cyclist and the motorised traffic, many motorcycles are pretty nippy in my experience.
err , If I,m left of the white line the lorry passes me, close maybe ,
if I,m right of the white line the lorry runs me down?
or passes so close as to knock me off or get me with his back wheels.
60ton artics take a long time to slow down , he may not even see you.
dead is dead even if it his fault.
drivers may not want to kill you, but in some cases I swear they just don,t care.
if you cycle out on a duel carrageway , your a braver man than me gunger din (and I used to jump out of aeroplanes for living)
if I,m right of the white line the lorry runs me down?
or passes so close as to knock me off or get me with his back wheels.
60ton artics take a long time to slow down , he may not even see you.
dead is dead even if it his fault.
drivers may not want to kill you, but in some cases I swear they just don,t care.
if you cycle out on a duel carrageway , your a braver man than me gunger din (and I used to jump out of aeroplanes for living)
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Ok let's put two myths that seem to be on these forums to bed once and for all: 1. Trucks don't suddenly appear out of nowhere 2. Most motorists do not want to kill you. These two are simple.
If you're 3 feet into the lane the truck driver is more likely to see you and also more likely to think. He may think "Ooh I can just squeeze this thing between that cyclist and the on coming traffic" but he's less likely to think that than if you're to the left of the line.
On a busy road, even if there are cars between you and the artic, the driver will think "Why are those drivers in front of me swerving to the right slightly in a consistent manner?". If there are no cars, then he's more likely to see you in the lane because that's where he is looking anyway.
